Induction: what are the requirements
- Part of
Induction is a statutory requirement for all newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in Wales who have gained qualified teacher status (QTS) after 1 April 2003.
NQTs, including those working on a supply basis, and all parties involved in the induction process should ensure that they are fully aware of the statutory induction arrangements in Wales and the relevant professional standards.
What are the requirements
All NQTs must hold QTS and must register in the category of school teacher with the Education Workforce Council (EWC) before their statutory induction period can commence and before they can be employed as a teacher in a maintained school.
All NQTs should complete an induction period of three school terms or the equivalent. However, ABs have discretion to reduce the length of the induction period for NQTs who can demonstrate that they meet the standards in less than three terms / 380 sessions. No NQT can complete induction in less than one term (110 sessions).
One school session is defined as one morning or afternoon of employment in a school as a qualified teacher. Schools must provide NQTs employed under the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (Wales) with 10% non-contact time to enable them to undertake their induction activities; this is in addition to the statutory non-contact time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA).
Induction profile and professional standards
The induction profile, via the Professional Learning Passport (ewc.wales), will form the basis of the professional dialogue between the NQT, the induction mentor and the external verifier.
NQTs who started their induction on or after 1 September 2017 must work to the professional standards for teaching and leadership.
The professional standards for teaching and leadership consist of five professional standards with overarching values and dispositions. Each professional standard is divided into elements with descriptors that exemplify the application of each standard.
The successful completion of induction will require evidence against all the descriptors.
NQTs who began their induction prior to 1 September 2017 will continue their induction using the practising teacher standards (PTS) they commenced with and should continue using their original induction profile. Following the successful completion of their induction period, they will adopt the new professional standards for teaching and leadership.
NQTs who started their induction period before 1 September 2012 should continue to use the support materials for assessment, observation and target-setting and the PTS.
Career entry profile
NQTs can access their career entry profile (CEP) via the Professional Learning Passport on the Education Workforce Council (EWC) website. The CEP should inform the dialogue with the IM on areas that the NQT needs to develop during the induction period.
Roles and responsibilities during induction
Effective induction is achieved through a partnership between a number of key people. Further information on roles and responsibilities is provided in the induction guidance: induction for newly qualified teachers in Wales (revised November 2022)